Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-09-12
A DIAMOND ROBBERY.

A DIAMOND ROBBERY.
, The latter part Of last May witnessed
the rrrival of an American gentleman at
well known private hotel in London,
one Of the houses which appeal only 10
the patronage Of those who are not COM
PEELED IL count the cost of their accommo-
dations He secured a bed room and sit
ting room on the third iioor. He was an
Did man, and his health SO Frecarious that
he spent most Of his time indoors. leaving
the house only on the warm, clear days.
which are 50 infrequcnt during the early
part of May in London. After he had
been there few days, the lady who had
occupied the suit of rooms immediately
beneath his left for the continent. and
the American engaged these for friend
Of ms then on the way To London The
friend arrived, and two highly respectable
American gentlemen We're now installed
one over the other. The first arrival
say Mr. A-lrft a considerable sum of
money. in English bank notes, in the care
nf the manager Of the hotel. In the
course of some casual conversation with
the manager. he subsequently gave the
latter 10 understand that he was a Chi
Cago railway man of great wealth. The
manager had every reason to believe him,
for Mr.. \. So far from trying 10 obtain
Gccessive credit at tn. hotel, or to cash
drafts on Chicago, hs i deposited a guam
Gty Of ready money In the safe. and paid
his hills each week without even drawing
on this fund. In due course the manager
learned that Mr.. As daughter was about
IN i..aY f-t.Al Nj Nr 4 str1f tod
rs TO where he should 60 10 buy her
a sufficiently valuable set of diamonds
to he worn by a rich mans daughter,
who was marrying another rich man.
The manager, with his fat commission
III view. arranged 10 go with Mr. a to
one of the largest jewellers in Bond street
and assist him in selecting the stones He
WIS himself. he said, connoisseur. and
! Mr.. \ admitted that he knew very little
about diamonds and that his eyesight was
! impaired. As luck would have il, Mr..
/ AS cough grew worse daily, and the time
| approached when he wanted TO dispatch
| the stones 10 Chicago without his having
| been able 10 90 To Bond street The man
| aCer Venturcd defcrentially to remind him
of this, and Mr.. A said that he had about
| made mp his mind 10 let his business cor
| respondent in New York buy the stones at
Tiffany's, even if they were a little more
| expensive than they would be in London.
The manager saw that little commission
of his reCeding toward the conveyance
of the lines of perspective, and proposed
to Mr.. \ that the man in Bond street
should send around some stones for him
to look at. Mr.. A expressed doubt as
| TO whether the man would he disposed TO
send round a large assortment of really
fine goods.
The manager said there would be no
trouble about that, and he himself went
round to see the jeweler. made au ar
rangement about the percentage, which
was satisfactory 10 both parties, and the
jeweler promised not only TO send around
the best sets he had, but likewise to get
n larger assortment on approval from the
diamond brokers, according to their usual
practice. and submit those also.
1t should he noted here that Mr.. a
had told the manager that he did not care
So much for enormously large stones as
for stones Of great brilliancy-real old
Brazilian and Indian diamonds. His in
tention was to let his daughter have them
set in such forms as she might herself
prefer. unless. indeed, the jeweler should
happen 10 have something very striking
necklaces already set.
The man of Bond street was a good. old
fashioned. conservative west end trades
man. and when he saw what an enormous
sum the assortment of jewels which were
going to the hotel aggregated, instead OF
sending n man with them he went him
self. accompanied by a porter who carried
the leather bag containing the stones. and
who was. more as matter of habl: than
because any special precaution seemed
necessary. armed with one of those fearful
and wonderful English revolvers, which
are about as convenient 10 carry as an So
ton gun. and take about as long To cock
and fire. II was, Indeed, more because
the jcweler wanted to conduct the nego-
tiation in person and use his own Judg-
ment as To how stiff a price he could insist
upon than because he had any misgivings
about the good faith of the purchaser that
he went 10 the hotel himself.
Arriving there, the manager accom-
panied him and his porter to Mr.. AS
room Mr. A was reclining on a sofa be-
fore the fire The jeweler unlocked the
bag which was chained round the porter's
waist, and the manager removed a num-
Der of books and papers from a small
table which stood by the sofa. On this
table the iewelcr arranged a tempting dis
play of set and unset stones, worth in the
aggregate, at his prices, some ElS,oto, of
which he hoped to be able TO sell about
one-fourth, Judging from the way in
which the manager had spoken of his Gus
TONER
Now, what was the position of affairs;
Around the table We're the jeweler him
self his armer porter and the manager Of
the hotel. a man of unimpeachable integ-
rity. Aside from the presumption that
Mr.. \ was a most highly respectable indi-
vidual. which i'll this case seemed 10
amount Ia 4 moral certainty. he was Il
weak man. attenuated by long Illness,
about which there could he no deception.
The odds were, in reality. far more than
three to one, and n pull at the bell would
have made them more than that. The
jeweler pointed To the various sets and
stones. stating their weight, character and
price: and in the instance of one superb
necklace telling Mr.. A a curious history
Of the great nobleman who had been re
Gently obliged TO dispose Of it among his
family jewels. Mr.. \ listened with great
interest. and then said:
1T must be n nervous sort Of business
handling these things. | should be afraid
Ah' '.''ii "'uAt A""s "ASAH 'A>ANr
think
The jeweler smilingly assured him that
lie did not worry very much about that,
at any rate.
Mr a then excused himself while he
went into his bedroom a moment, remark
ing that he expected friend of his who
was in the hotel to come up there i'll
moment. and wanted his advice in making
the selc, .lpn.
As the door closed behind him. the
ieweier smiled at the manager and the
manager at the jeweler. The jeweler
thought of his profits and the manager
thought Of his commission.
A moment later there was a little noise,
like the sharp closing Of the lid Of a box,
and 10 all appearances the devil had flown
away with the stones. 1t took the three
men in the room n moment To realize
what had happened, and at the end OF
that moment the commfssionnaire at the
door of the hotel saw Mr.. \. and his
friend. who occupied the rooms below.
walk ont Of the door. the second gentle
l, al 1sra his